


Every zombie has a silver lining

by guety



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Zombies, Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Survival Horror, it's really just a fluff meeting the soulmate fic in a zombie setting, no zombies actually appear on this, there's no gore nor explicit violence either
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 11:11:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14104077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guety/pseuds/guety
Summary: Victor had always imagined that one day, he would find his soulmate and move to the suburbs together. He never thought both things would happen while trying to survive the zombie apocalypse.





	Every zombie has a silver lining

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya!
> 
> I wrote this for the first Live Love YOI Bing, in collaboration with [Cello](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PernicoAndCelloIsMyLife/pseuds/PernicoAndCelloIsMyLife) and [Chii](https://chiinoiserie.tumblr.com/)! It was supposed to be a drabble but it ended up almost reaching 3k words whoops. 
> 
> Although technically it can be read as a stand-alone, I strongly encourage to first read Cello's fic, which you can find [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14088498). It's set before my piece and it's really cute and fun! Chii's art can be found [here](https://chiinoiserie.tumblr.com/post/172274652522/art-for-the-llybb-mini-bang-bing)!

Victor had always imagined that one day, he would move to the suburbs. Sure, life in the city was exciting. There was always something to do, somewhere to go: a concert, an art exhibition, maybe that new restaurant that was getting trendy. It was hard to get bored. And yet, ever since he started getting closer to being thirty than twenty-five, Victor had started longing for something else, something different to the busy city life he was used to. 

He imagined moving to a nice, cozy house in the suburbs, with a big, open concept kitchen where Victor and his soulmate - whoever he was - would cook together. It would have a huge yard too, so Makkachin could run and play freely - maybe they would even adopt a few more puppies - with a swimming pool and a few fruit trees planted around. The neighborhood would be quiet and friendly, and everyone would know his name and greet him when he took Makkachin for a walk. Yes, life away from the city sounded great. Victor couldn’t wait to meet the person he was destined to be with, the one that would make a soul mark appear on both of their bodies, and move to their ideal home together.

He had never imagined that he would move to the suburbs escaping from a horde of zombies.

It had already been three weeks since then, and Victor had gotten used to his new life away from the city, as different as it was from what he had expected. The house he had taken refuge in wasn’t exactly like his dream home, but he had to admit it was pretty nice. The kitchen was very big, just how Victor had always imagined, and the bed in the master bedroom was extremely comfortable. It got plenty of natural light as well, and the garden looked like it used to be gorgeous back when someone took care of it. What he liked most of the house, however, was that he got a great view of Yuuri’s rooftop garden from the balcony.

Yuuri, the beautiful boy who lived right across from the street, had been the best thing to come out of this mess. Without him, Victor probably wouldn’t have been able to endure alone in that house for so long, with no one to talk to and no news of what was going on in the world. When Victor had first arrived at the neighborhood, Yuuri had tried to save his life, despite him being a complete stranger, and had continued helping him since then. Since, for whatever strange reason,  zombies didn’t attack animals, they had been using their dogs to exchange notes and supplies - although to be fair Victor had been the one benefitting the most from their alliance. Yuuri had been providing him with fresh vegetables from his garden and knew way more about how the zombies acted than him; in comparison, Victor didn’t feel like he was helping Yuuri much. 

Meeting Yuuri had been a beacon of hope when he was about to succumb to the horrors around him. If someone so genuinely nice and kind had survived, there had to be some good left in the world.

That morning, he went to the balcony after having breakfast - today’s menu was canned tuna -as he did every day. Yuuri was already in his garden, tending to his plants, a half smile on his lips. Victor didn’t call to him - it wasn’t wise to make any noise, as it would catch the zombies’ attention - and instead, observed him as he always did, waiting for Yuuri to eventually notice him. If he had to be honest, he didn’t mind the wait at all. It was a simple sight, a handsome boy caring for his garden, and yet so rare in the current times that Victor couldn’t help but rejoice in it. 

Yuuri was meticulous, checking every plant, every leaf - Victor didn’t even know what he was looking for, perhaps bugs that could damage them? - without neglecting any of them. Victor could see his lips moving, and wondered if he was talking to himself, or perhaps whispering to the plants or to the toy poodle trailing behind him as he moved around the rooftop. In any case, it was obvious that he felt at ease in his garden, his shoulders relaxed and his movements fluid and easy.

Eventually, once he had checked each and every one of the plants, Yuuri raised his head and looked towards Victor’s balcony. Upon noticing Victor, he smiled, his entire face lighting up. Victor felt himself blush and rushed to wave at him, returning the smile. Yuuri picked up the notebook he had left on the floor while he was tending to the plants and scribbled something on a page before tearing it off and folding it into a paper plane. It flew straight to Victor, who hurried to unfold it.

“Good morning, Victor,” said the note, “are you ready for today?”

Victor looked back at Yuuri and nodded, then wrote his reply. “Good morning Yuuri, I was born ready. I will head there as soon as you give me the signal.” 

Unlike Yuuri’s, Victor’s aim with paper planes was only passable, but Yuuri managed to catch his note before it flew past his house. He read it, then put the note in his pocket and gave Victor a thumbs up. Victor assumed that was it for the moment and was about to retire back into the house when Yuuri took out the paper once more, carefully writing something down before throwing it to Victor again.

“Be careful, please.” The note said. Victor’s heart skipped a beat. If they weren’t in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, he would ask that boy on a date, right there and then.

“I will, don’t worry.” He wrote back. “I’ll be there on the evening like we’ve planned, and we’ll feast on canned goods under the moonlight.” 

His message made Yuuri chuckle quietly, and Victor couldn’t help but wonder if his laugh sounded as magical as he imagined.

_ I will make him laugh again tonight, and then I’ll find out,  _ he decided, and waved goodbye to Yuuri as they retreated back into their respective houses.

Everything would change that evening, for better or worse. It was time for Victor to leave his current refuge and go to Yuuri’s. He was running out of food supplies and besides, it only made sense for the two of them to reside in one place. It would be safer, and that way Victor wouldn’t need to keep spending candles, or the precious batteries of his flashlight.  Electricity had stopped working long ago, once the zombies took over the power plants, but Yuuri’s house was equipped with a solar panel that provided it with electricity. Unlike Victor, he was able to cook warm food, and even take hot showers. Hot showers! Victor could kill for a hot shower right now. 

They had been talking about it on their notes for the past weeks, discussing the best ways to proceed, and had agreed that it would have to be this evening. The horde of zombies that had followed Victor from the city had mostly dispersed at last, only a few left roaming the streets. It was still risky to get out, one wrong move and he could find himself surrounded by the living dead, but it was the safest the neighborhood had been in weeks. Better to take the chance now before another horde came by. And more importantly, today was a Tuesday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the sprinklers on Mrs. Riordan’s garden, just a couple streets down, got activated automatically - how they were still working remained a mystery - right at 6 pm. They made enough noise to attract most zombies nearby, which would hopefully take their attention away from Victor as he moved houses. 

The day went by fast as Victor got ready to leave. He busied himself packing everything he found in the house that could be of use: all the remaining canned food, the few batteries he had found, a lighter, some painkillers and a first aid set, thread and needles… anything that fit into his backpack was shoved into it, as long as it could improve their chances of survival. He found a baseball bat in one of the rooms, and after much deliberation, he decided to take it too.

He took one last tour around what had been his home for a short yet intense time, Makkachin trailing behind him. Well, it wasn't his dream home, and surely his time there hadn’t been idyllic, but at least it had kept him safe. Whoever the owners of the house where, Victor would always be grateful to them for lending him their home, even if unwillingly. 

Finally, when his watch marked 6 pm, he approached the window closest to the entrance, that faced Yuuri’s house, his backpack equipped, the bat on his right hand and Makkachin to his left. Feeling his heart pounding in his chest, he glanced outside. Yuuri was nowhere to be seen, probably still making sure that the coast was clear. Victor took a deep breath, in and out, in and out, forcing himself to be calm.  _ In ten minutes you’ll be with Yuuri and you’ll laugh about this, _ he told himself. 

It wasn’t just because of the zombies that he was scared. Deep down, Victor couldn’t help but harbor the hope that maybe Yuuri was the one he had been waiting for so long, his true soulmate. It was silly to worry about that considering the dire situation he was in, but he had been wanting to find his other half for so long, and Yuuri was so kind and handsome. He couldn’t help but want him to be the one. He was looking forward to finally meet him in person, but then, once they touched, he would know for sure. If Yuuri wasn’t his soulmate - which realistically, was very probable - Victor would be more than disappointed. 

Maybe it was selfish to want Yuuri to be his soulmate, without knowing if Yuuri was even single. However, at the same time, the most confident part of him believed that his interest in Yuuri wasn’t unrequited. It was the way Yuuri looked at him sometimes, his eyes lingering longer than necessary, how he smiled at him, how he seemed to really care. He couldn’t help but think that, had they met under different circumstances, at the very least Yuuri would have agreed to go on a date with him. So what if they weren’t soulmates in the end? That didn’t mean their relationship couldn’t develop into a romantic one, if they both wanted it to. 

He shook his head. It was pointless to worry about this now. Yuuri was a friend and an ally, and that’s what mattered. 

Soon enough, Yuuri appeared on the edge of the rooftop, giving him the thumbs up. 

“Ok boy, time to go,” he told Makkachin, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. 

Slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible, he unlocked the front door and stepped outside. The streets were silent, terrifyingly so. He wanted to run towards Yuuri’s house, but he refrained from it.  _ If you run, you’ll make noise, and a zombie could hear you. _ Instead, he walked slowly, taking little steps crouching down with one arm around Makkachin. Zombies couldn’t detect the smell of animals, so staying close to him would hopefully mask his own human scent and keep them both safe.

“You’re doing so well Makkachin, you’re such a good boy,” he whispered encouragingly, stroking his fur. Even if zombies couldn’t smell him, they’d be able to hear him if he barked or whined, but he was behaving splendidly. “You’re the bravest puppy, just a little more and you’ll be able to play with Vicchan, would you like that? You would, wouldn’t you?” Truth be told, he was trying to reassure himself as much as Makkachin. Even if there was no zombie in sight and he was sure Yuuri wouldn’t have given him the okay for going out if he wasn’t absolutely certain that it was safe, he couldn’t help but be on edge, all his senses alert in case he saw or heard anything that could mean danger. He tightened the grip on the bat in his right hand. He had never had a physical fight in his entire life, but if worse came to worst, he would do everything in his power to protect himself and Makkachin.

Slowly but surely, they crossed the street.  _ Just a little more. _ While Yuuri’s house was right in front of the one where Victor had been staying, the entrance to the yard was on the opposite side, so he had to turn the corner.  _ Almost there, almost there _ . They were in the yard now and, just as they were approaching the front door, it opened. Standing in the doorway was Yuuri, beautiful, wonderful Yuuri, gesturing with his hands for him to hurry up. 

Victor quickened his pace, eager to join him, to feel safe again. 

“Help me lock the door again,” Yuuri requested as soon as Victor and Makkachin entered the house. It made Victor smile fondly; it was probably that ability to stay focused and pragmatic that had helped Yuuri survive on his own while all his neighbors turned into zombies.

Together, they locked the door once more, adding boards of wood for extra safety. Just like when it came to his garden, Yuuri was very meticulous, checking every board twice to make sure they would hold on in case a zombie tried to break in.

It wasn’t until they were done with the door that it really dawned on Victor that he was safe again, that Yuuri was there with him and he wouldn't have to run away alone anymore. He fell to the floor, his legs feeling weak now that the adrenaline rush was over. 

“Are you okay?” Yuuri kneeled beside him, his brow furrowed in concern.

“Yes, I’m just,” he took a deep breath, “before the zombies, I don’t think I had ever been this scared. I’m just not used to it.”

Yuuri chuckled. His laugh was truly wonderful, better than Victor could have imagined. “You’ll get used to it. Trust me, I’ve been terrified my entire life.”

Victor had to smile, happy that Yuuri was trying to make him feel better. He wasn’t used to being vulnerable in front of people, either. They stared at each other, unsure of what to say or what to do. What did you say to someone you had effectively just met, yet already shared so much with?  Not knowing what else to do, he offered Yuuri his hand. “I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced,” he said, “my name is Victor Nikiforov, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Yuuri’s smile widened. “Hi Victor Nikiforov, I'm Yuuri Katsuki, 24 years old.” 

He shook Victor’s hand, and then it happened. 

He had heard so many retells on how meeting your soulmate felt like, but none did justice to actually experiencing it. It felt like fireworks in his brain as if discovering that he had been walking upside down his entire life. It was as if Yuuri was the sun, and he was a planet orbiting around it, unable to resist the pull of his gravity. 

They looked at each other, eyes wide, and then at their hands as a half of a snowflake appeared on each of their ring fingers - the upper one on Yuuri’s, the bottom on Victor’s. 

“It’s you!” He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He wanted to jump, to hug Yuuri and dance with him, but he felt too shocked to move. “It’s really been you all along. You’re my soulmate.”

Yuuri was still looking at him, blinking. Out of a sudden, he started laughing almost hysterically. “I can’t believe it,” he managed to say, wheezing, “twenty-four years alive, and this is how I met my soulmate. In the middle of the zombie apocalypse.”

Victor had to admit, it was pretty funny in a really twisted way. “Well, they say every cloud has a silver lining, right? And my hair it’s very silver.”

That made Yuuri laugh even harder. God, he really adored that sound. “So you’re my silver lining?”

“I would love if you considered me that,” he admitted, “you certainly are mine.”

Yuuri looked at him, his smile incredibly warm. “Well then, Mr. Silver Lining, how about we unpack your stuff and then we can have that feast under the moonlight?”

Victor offered him the most honest smile he had ever managed. “That sounds like a plan.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and feedback make my day <3 
> 
> If you like my fics, feel free to check out my [twitter](https://twitter.com/idrinkmyfriends) or [tumblr](guety.tumblr.com) and let's scream together about these two dorks.


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